Mahavogga 1.6
Tipitaka >> Vinaya Pitaka >> Khandhaka >> Mahavagga >> First Khandaka >> 1.6 Adapted from the Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg ---- MAHAVAGGA FIRST KHANDHAKA(THE FORMATION OF THE ORDER OF BHIKKHUS) Chapter-6 : Buddha Teaches Dhamma to his Former Five Associates. 1. Now the Lord Buddha thought: 'To whom shall I preach the doctrine first? Who will understand this doctrine easily?' And the Lord Buddha thought: 'There is Alara Kalama; he is clever, wise, and learned; long since have the eye of his mind been darkened by scarcely any dust. What if I were to preach the doctrine first to Alara Kalama? He will easily understand this doctrine.' 2. Then an invisible deity said to the Lord Buddha: 'Alara Kalama has died, Lord, seven days ago.' And knowledge sprang up in the Lord Buddha's mind that Alara Kalama had died seven days ago. And the Lord Buddha thought: 'Highly noble was Alara Kalama. If he had heard my doctrine, he would easily have understood it.' 3. Then the Lord Buddha thought: 'To whom shall I preach the doctrine first? Who will understand this doctrine easily?' And the Lord Buddha thought: 'There is Uddaka Ramaputta; he is clever, wise, and learned; long since have the eye or his mind been darkened by scarcely any dust. What if I were to preach the doctrine first to Uddaka Ramaputta? He will easily understand this doctrine.' 4. Then an invisible deity said to the Lord Buddha: 'Uddaka Ramaputta has died, Lord, yesterday evening.' And knowledge arose in the Lord Buddha's mind that Uddaka Ramaputta had died the previous evening. And the Lord Buddha thought: 'Highly noble was Uddaka Ramaputta. If he had heard my doctrine, he would easily have understood it.' 5. Then the Lord Buddha thought: 'To whom shall I preach the doctrine first? Who will understand this doctrine easily?' And the Lord Buddha thought: 'The five Bhikkhus(Monks) have done many services to me; they attended on me during the time of my exertions (to attain sanctification by undergoing austerities). What if I were to preach the doctrine first to the five Bhikkhus?' 6. Now the Lord Buddha thought: 'Where do the five Bhikkhus dwell now?' And the Lord Buddha saw by the power of his divine, clear vision, surpassing that of men, that the five Bhikkhus were living at Benares, in the deer park Isipatana. And the Lord Buddha, after having remained at Uruvela as long as he thought fit, went forth to Benares. 7. Now Upaka, a man belonging to the Ajivaka sect (i.e. the sect of naked ascetics), saw the Lord Buddha travelling on the road, between Gaya and the Bodhi tree; and when he saw him, he said to the Lord Buddha: 'Your countenance, friend, is serene; your complexion is pure and bright. In whose name, friend, have you retired from the world? Who is your teacher? Whose doctrine do you profess?' 8. When Upaka the Ajivaka had spoken thus, the Lord Buddha addressed him in the following stanzas: 'I have overcome all foes; I have attained all wisdom; I am free from stains in every way; I have left everything; and have obtained emancipation by the destruction of desire. Having myself gained knowledge, whom should I call my master? I have no teacher; no one is equal to me; in the world of men and of gods no being is like me. I am the holy One in this world, I am the highest teacher, I alone am the absolute Sambuddha; I have gained quietitude (by the extinction of all passion) and have obtained Nirvana. To found the Kingdom of Truth I go to the city of the Kasis (Benares); I will beat the drum of the Immortal in the darkness of this world.' 9. (Upaka replied): 'You profess then, friend, to be the holy, absolute Jina.' (Buddha said): 'Like me are all Jinas who have reached extinction of the Asavas; I have overcome (Jitame) all states of sinfulness; therefore, Upaka, am I the Jina.' When he had spoken thus, Upaka the Ajivaka replied: 'It may be so, friend;' shook his head, took another road, and went away. 10. And the Lord Buddha, wandering from place to place, came to Benares, to the deer park Isipatana, to the place where the five Bhikkhus were. And the five Bhikkhus saw the Lord Buddha coming from afar; when they saw him, they concerted with each other, saying, 'Friends, there comes the Samana Gotama(Buddha), who lives in abundance, who has given up his exertions, and who has turned to an abundant life. Let us not salute him; nor rise from our seats when he approaches; nor take his bowl and his robe from his hands. But let us put there a seat; if he likes, let him sit down.' 11. But when the Lord Buddha gradually approached near unto those five Bhikkhus, the five Bhikkhus(Monks) kept not their agreement. They went forth to meet the Lord Buddha; one took his bowl and his robe, another prepared a seat, a third one brought water for the washing of the feet, a foot-stool, and a towel. Then the Lord Buddha sat down on the seat they had prepared; and when he was seated, the Lord Buddha washed his feet. Now they addressed the Lord Buddha by his name, and with the appellation 'Friend.' 12. When they spoke to him thus, the Lord Buddha said to the five Bhikkhus(Monks): 'Do not address, O Bhikkhus(Monks), the Tathagata(Buddha) by his name, and with the appellation "Friend." The Tathagata(Buddha), O Bhikkhus(Monks), is the holy, absolute Sambuddha. Give ear, O Bhikkhus! The immortality (Amata/Amrit) has been won (by me); I will teach you; to you I preach the doctrine. If you walk in the way I show you, you will, before long, have penetrated to the truth, having yourselves known it and seen it face to face; and you will live in the possession of that highest goal of the holy life, for the sake of which noble youths fully give up the world and go forth into the houseless state(i.e. monkhood). 13. When he had spoken thus, the five monks said to the Lord Buddha: 'By those observances, friend Gotama, by those practices, by those austerities, you have not been able to obtain power surpassing that of men, nor the superiority of full and holy knowledge and insight. How will you now, living in abundance, having given up your exertions, having turned to an abundant life, be able to obtain power surpassing that of men, and the superiority of full and holy knowledge and insight?' 14. When they had spoken thus, the Lord Buddha said to the five Bhikkhus: 'The Tathagata(Buddha), O Bhikkhus(Monks), does not live in abundance, he has not given up exertion, he has not turned to an abundant life. The Tathagata(Buddha), O Bhikkhus(Monks), is the holy, absolute Sambuddha. Give ear, O Bhikkhus; the immortal has been won (by me); I will teach you, to you I will preach the doctrine. If you walk in the way I show you, you will, before long, have penetrated to the truth, having yourselves known it and seen it face to face; and you will live in the possession of that highest goal of the holy life, for the sake of which noble youths fully give up the world and go forth into the houseless state(i.e. monkhood).' 15. And the five Bhikkhus(Monks) said to the Lord Buddha a second time (as above). And the Lord Buddha said to the five Bhikkhus a second time (as above). And the five Bhikkhus said to the Lord Buddha a third time (as above). 16. When they had spoken thus, the Lord Buddha said to the five Bhikkhus: 'Do you admit, O Bhikkhus(Monks), that I have never spoken to you in this way before this day?' 'You have never spoken so, Lord.' 'The Tathagata(Buddha), O Bhikkhus(Monks), is the holy, absolute Sambuddha. Give ear, O Bhikkhus(Monks), &c. (as above).' And the Lord Buddha was able to convince the five Bhikkhus; and the five Bhikkhus again listened willingly to the Lord Buddha; they gave ear, and fixed their mind on the knowledge (which the Buddha impareed to them). 17. And the Lord Buddha thus addressed the five Bhikkhus: 'There are two extremes, O Bhikkhus(Monks), which he who has given up the world, ought to avoid. What are these two extremes? A life given to pleasures, devoted to pleasures and lusts: this is degrading, sensual, vulgar, ignoble, and profitless; and a life given to mortifications: this is painful, ignoble, and profitless. By avoiding these two extrernes, O Bhikkhus(Monks), the Tathagata(Buddha) has gained the knowledge of the Middle Path which leads to insight, which leads to wisdom, which conduces to calm, to knowledge, to the Sambodhi, to Nirvana. 18. 'Which, O Bhikkhus(Monks), is this Middle Path the knowledge of which the Tathagata(Buddha) has gained, which leads to insight, which leads to wisdom, which conduces to calm, to knowledge, to the Sambodhi, to Nirvana? It is the holy eightfold Path, namely, Right Belief, Right Aspiration, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Means of Livelihood, Right Endeavour, Right Meditation(Sati), Right Trance(Samadhi). This, O Bhikkhus(Monks), is the Middle Path the knowledge of which the Tathagata(Buddha) has gained, which leads to insight, which leads to wisdom, which conduces to calm, to knowledge, to the Sambodhi, to Nirvana. 19. 'This, O Bhikkhus(Monks), is the Noble Truth of Suffering: Birth is suffering; decay is suffering; illness is suffering; death is suffering. Presence of objects we hate, is suffering; Separation from objects we love, is suffering; not to obtain what we desire, is suffering. Briefly, the fivefold clinging to existence is suffering. 20. 'This, O Bhikkhus(Monks), is the Noble Truth of the Cause of suffering: Thirst, that leads to re-birth, accompanied by pleasure and lust, finding its delight here and there. (This thirst is threefold), namely, thirst for pleasure, thirst for existence, thirst for prosperity. 21. 'This, O Bhikkhus(Monks), is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of suffering: (It ceases with) the complete cessation of this thirst,--a cessation which consists in the absence of every passion,--with the abandoning of this thirst, with the doing away with it, with the deliverance from it, with the destruction of desire. 22. 'This, O Bhikkhus(Monks), is the Noble Truth of the Path which leads to the cessation of suffering: that holy eightfold Path, that is to say, Right Belief, Right Aspiration, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Means of Livelihood, Right Endeavour, Right Memory, Right Meditation. 23. '"This is the Noble Truth of Suffering;"--thus, O Bhikkhus(Monks), of this doctrine, which formerly had not been heard of, have I obtained insight, knowledge, understanding, wisdom, intuition. "This Noble Truth of Suffering must be understood," thus, O Bhikkhus(Monks), of this doctrine, . . . . (&c., down to intuition). "This Noble Truth of Suffering I have understood," thus, O Bhikkhus(Monks), of this doctrine, . . . . (&c.,down to intuition). 24. '"This is the Noble Truth of the Cause of suffering," thus, O Bhikkhus(Monks), (&c.) "This Noble Truth of the Cause of suffering must be abandoned has been abandoned by me," thus, O Bhikkhus(Monks), (&c.) 25. '"This is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of suffering," thus, O Bhikkhus(Monks), (&c.) "This Noble Truth of the Cessation of suffering must be seen face to face . . . . has been seen by me face to face," thus, O Bhikkhus(Monks), (&c.) 26. '"This is the Noble Truth of the Path which leads to the cessation of suffering," thus, O Bhikkhus(Monks), (&c.) "This Noble Truth of the Path which leads to the cessation of suffering, must be realised has been realised by me," thus, O Bhikkhus(Monks), (&c.) 27. 'As long, O Bhikkhus(Monks), as I did not possess with perfect purity this true knowledge and insight into these four Noble Truths, with its three modifications and its twelve constituent parts (4x3); so long, O Bhikkhus(Monks), I knew that I had not yet obtained the highest, absolute Sambodhi in the world of men and gods, in Mara's and Brahma's world, among all beings, Samanas(monks) and Brahmanas(priests), gods and men. 28. 'But since I possessed, O Bhikkhus(Monks), with perfect purity this true knowledge and insight into these four Noble Truths, with its three modifications and its twelve constituent (4x3) parts, then I knew, O Bhikkhus(Monks), that I had obtained the highest, universal Sambodhi in the world of men and gods, . . . . (&c., as in § 27). 29. 'And this knowledge and insight arose in my mind: "The emancipation of my mind cannot be lost; this is my last birth; hence I shall not be born again!"' Thus the Lord Buddha spoke. The five Bhikkhus were delighted, and they rejoiced at the words of the Lord Buddha. And when this exposition was propounded, the venerable Kondanna obtained the pure and spotless Eye of the Truth (divine insight of the final trance state): 'Whatsoever is subject to the condition of origination, is subject also to the condition of cessation.' 30. And as the Lord Buddha had founded the Path of Truth (by propounding the four Noble Truths), the earth-inhabiting devas shouted: 'Truly the Lord Buddha has founded at Benares, in the deer park Isipatana, the highest kingdom of Truth, which may be opposed neither by a Samana(monk) nor by a Brahmana(priest), neither by a deva(god), nor by Mara(devil), nor by Brahma(Arch Angel), nor by any being in the world.' Hearing the shout of the earth-inhabiting devas(gods), the katumaharagika devas (gods belonging to the world of the four divine maharajas(great kings)) shouted, . . . . (&c., as above). Hearing the shout of the katumaharagika devas(gods/angels), the tavatimsa devas, the yama devas, the tusita devas, the nimmanarati devas, the paranimmitavasavatti devas, the brahmakayika devas shouted: 'Truly the Lord Buddha, . . . .' (&c., as above). 31. Thus in that moment, in that instant, in that second the shout reached the Brahma world; and this whole system of ten thousand worlds quaked, was shaken, and trembled; and an infinite, mighty light was seen through the world, which surpassed the light that can be produced by the divine power of the devas. And the Lord Buddha pronounced this solemn utterance: 'Truly Kondanna has perceived it ("annasi"), truly Kondanna has perceived it!' Hence the venerable Kondanna received the name Annatakondanna (Kondanna who has perceived the doctrine). 32. And the venerable Annatakondanna, having seen the Truth, having mastered the Truth, having understood the Truth, having penetrated the Truth, having overcome uncertainty, having dispelled all doubts, having gained full knowledge, dependent on nobody else for knowledge of the doctrine of the Teacher, thus spoke to the Lord Buddha: 'Lord, let me receive the pabbajja(initiation) and upasampada ordinations from the Lord Buddha.' 'Come, O Bhikkhu,' said the Lord Buddha, 'well taught is the doctrine; lead a holy life for the sake of the complete extinction of suffering.' Thus this venerable person received the upasampada ordination. 33. And the Lord Buddha administered to the other Bhikkhus exhortation and instruction by discourses relating to the Dhamma. And the venerable Vappa, and the venerable Bhaddiya, when they received from the Lord Buddha such exhortation and instruction by discourses relating to the Dhamma, obtained the pure and spotless Eye of the Truth (divine insight): 'Whatsoever is subject to the condition of origination is subject also to the condition of cessation.' 34. And having seen the Truth, having mastered the Truth, . . . . (&c., as in § 32), they thus spoke to the Lord Buddha: 'Lord, let us receive the pabbajja and upasampada ordinations from the Lord Buddha.' 'Come, O Bhikkhus(Monks),' said the Lord Buddha, 'well taught is the doctrine; lead a holy life for the sake of the complete extinction of suffering.' Thus these venerable persons received the upasampada ordination. 35. And the Lord Buddha, living on what the Bhikkhus brought him, administered to the other Bhikkhus exhortation and instruction by discourse relating to the Dhamma; in this way the six persons lived on what the three Bhikkhus brought home from their alms pilgrimage. 36, 37. And the venerable Mahanama and the venerable Assaji, when they received from the Lord Buddha, . . . . (&c., as in §§ 33, 34, down to:). Thus these venerable persons received the upasampada ordination. 38. And the Lord Buddha thus spoke to the five Bhikkhus: 'The body (Rupa), O Bhikkhus(Monks), is not the self. If the body, O Bhikkhus(Monks), were the self, the body would not be subject to disease, and we should be able to say: "Let my body be such and such a one, let my body not be such and such a one." But since the body, O Bhikkhus(Monks), is not the self, therefore the body is subject to disease, and we are not able to say: "Let my body be such and such a one, let my body not be such and such a one." 39-41. 'Sensation (Vedana), O Bhikkhus(Monks), is not the self, . . . . (&c.) Perception (Sanna) is not the self, . . . . The Samkharas(Karma/Sins/Habits) are not the self, . . . . Consciousness (Vinnana) is not the self, . . . . (&c.) 42. 'Now what do you think, O Bhikkhus(Monks), is the body permanent or perishable?' 'It is perishable, Lord.' 'And that which is perishable, does that cause pain or joy?' 'It causes pain, Lord.' 'And that which is perishable, painful, subject to change, is it possible to regard that in this way: 'This is mine, this am I, this is my Self?' 'That is impossible, Lord.' 43. 'Is sensation permanent or perishable?' . . . . (&c.) 44. 'Therefore, O Bhikkhus(Monks), whatever body has been, will be, and is now, belonging or not belonging to sentient beings, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, distant or near, all that body is not mine, is not me, is not my self: thus it should be considered by right knowledge according to the truth. 45. 'Whatever sensation, . . . . (&c.) 46. 'Considering this, O Bhikkhus(Monks), a learned, noble hearer of the word becomes weary of body, weary of sensation, weary of perception, weary of the Samkharas, weary of consciousness. Becoming weary of all that, he divests himself of passion; by absence of passion he is made free; when he is free, he becomes aware that he is free; and he realises that re-birth is exhausted; that holiness is completed; that duty is fulfilled; and that there is no further return to this world.' 47. Thus the Lord Buddha spoke; the five Bhikkhus were delighted, and rejoiced at the words of the Lord Buddha. And when this exposition had been propounded, the minds of the five Bhikkhus became free from attachment to the world, and were released from the Asavas(desires/wants). At that time these six were the only six Arahats (persons who had reached absolute holiness/ fully Enlightened) in the world. End of the first Bhanavara.